Handbag with lighted inside bottom

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a handbag, briefcase, or other container in which the bottom is provided on the inside with a two-dimensional light-emitting element.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The subject of the invention is a handbag or a briefcase with illuminated inside bottom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Most handbags and briefcases are made of dark leather or fabric. It is known that it can be very difficult to find an object such as a purse located inside a totally dark handbag or briefcase. One either has to go up to a light or shine a flashlight inside the handbag. Thus far, there are no simple, practical solutions to this problem that can be implemented without great technical expense.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, this problem is solved in that the bottom of the handbag, briefcase, or other container is covered on the inside with a two-dimensional light-emitting element. This light-emitting element can either be glued or sewn on there.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a handbag with a light-emitting element disposed along a bottom thereof according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invented two-dimensional light-emitting element can be current-independent or operated by an electrical battery.

Possible current-independent light-emitting elements are luminescent or phosphorescent plastic films which, although putting out not very intense light, are bright enough to reveal an object lying on a bottom of a bag or a container 10.

If, however, a current source is present, e.g., a flashlight battery, one can also use light-emitting films for this purpose. There are already light-emitting films available in which, by switching on a light source, such as a battery, a flexible film can be made to emit light. Such light-emitting films are only 1 mm thick, they can be bent and rolled, and they are constructed of several layers like a sandwich. At first, one applies onto the backing film of highly transparent polyester an equally transparent electrically conductive layer. Then, in the middle, comes a thin, active light-emitting layer. This is separated by an insulation layer from the back electrode, forming the closure. For the light-emitting plastic films, one will use a layer system of the ceramic material indium tin oxide with a sputtered-on silver layer. This film is then connected to the battery. In this way, light-emitting films of several square meters can even be produced, and these are also possible in different pigment colors, such as white, green, orange and blue. The film can be bent or even rolled and is extremely light. One square meter doesnt's even weigh 1 kg. The light-emitting film does not heat up, but instead converts around 98% of the energy into light. The film consumes only a fraction of the energy of a fluorescent tube. Its brightness can be regulated continuously.

The invention can also be implemented by the use of the transparent and fully moldable film Bayfol®. Onto it are pressed two layers of the electrically conductive plastic Baytron®P of the Bayer subsidiary H. C. Starck. Now, if one applies current to the two electrodes, the EL crystals lying in a middle layer begin to give off light.

FIG. 1 shows the bag 10 in an open state so that a bottom 20 of the bag 10 is seen. On the bottom 20 of the bag 10, a light-emitting element 30 is disposed and is electrically connected to a power source 40, such as a battery. As discussed above and as shown in FIG. 2, the light-emitting element 30 is formed of a number of different layers of films that are stacked one another. For example, the light-emitting element 30 includes the thin, active light-emitting layer 50 that is disposed between two conductive layers 60, 70 and when current is applied thereto, the light-emitting layer 50 gives off light.

In one special embodiment, a layer of glue covered by a protective film is provided beneath the lower backing film, in order to facilitate the placement of the film in the briefcase, or handbag, or other container. The thickness of the film is maintained in the range of around 1 mm. Since electrical energy is converted directly into light, without heat arising or another kind of radiation being created, such a light-emitting film has diversified uses. The lifetime of this light-emitting film is up to 12,000 hours of operation. The light-emitting power of the film does not drop abruptly to zero, but instead gradually declines. At high lighting intensity, the lifetime is less, but still it is much higher than that of comparable lighting means.

The light-emitting film of the invention has many benefits. It is self-illuminating, delivers homogeneous, very visible light, which is gentle on the eyes due to absence of a UV component and produces only a minimal heating effect, due to lack of infrared emissions. Furthermore, it is robust against vibrations and mechanical impacts, so that it does not get damaged under normal use of a handbag or briefcase. 

1. Handbag or briefcase with an illuminated inside bottom, characterized in that the inside bottom is covered with a two-dimensional light-emitting element.
 2. Handbag or briefcase per claim 1, characterized in that the two-dimensional light-emitting element consists of a light-emitting polymer.
 3. Handbag or briefcase per claim 1, characterized in that an electroluminescent plastic film is used as the two-dimensional light-emitting element.
 4. Handbag or briefcase per claim 2, characterized in that an electroluminescent plastic film is used as the two-dimensional light-emitting element.
 5. Handbag or briefcase per claim 1, characterized in that the electroluminescent film is built up of several layers.
 6. Handbag or briefcase per claim 2, characterized in that the electroluminescent film is built up of several layers.
 7. Handbag or briefcase per claim 3, characterized in that the electroluminescent film is built up of several layers. 